Wire-fence-stretching clamp.



H. H. JETER.

WIRE FENCE STRETOHING CLAMP.

1,084,802. Patented Jan. 20, 1914.

C, I v

I All I ll l lll Ill-Illn- Etc @1507"; im jfJzia;

UNITED STATES HENRY H. JETER,

OF THAYER, IOWA.

WIRE-FENCESTRETCHING CLAMP.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, HENRY ll. JEIER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Thayer, in the county of Union and State of Iowa, have invented new and useful I'mprovements in ire Fence Stretching Clamps, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention comprehends improvements in fence stretchers and relates more particularly to a clamping device to be used in connection with wire fence stretching devices.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an effective and positive gripping device which will hold a wire fence between the jaws thereof and prevent slipping during the fence stretching operation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a clamp of the character aforesaid, which will be comparatively inexpensive in the cost of manufacture, strong, durable and efficient when in use and which may be readily applied to or detached from the wire fence, thereby rendering the same commercially desirable.

Vith the above and other objects in view, the invention may be said to consist briefly of the combination and particular arrangement of parts hereinafter described and pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention will be best understood when having reference to the detailed description thereof, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the clamp having the jaws thereof in open position and showing the position of the wire when placed between the jaws of the clamp. Fi 2 is a plan view of the same showing the jaws of the clamp closed when presented for the stretching operation, and Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the clamp when closed.

The form of the apparatus as disclosed in the drawings comprises a clamp consisting of two jaws A and B respectively, between which is adapted to be gripped a wire fence, as indicated by the letter C.

Each of the jaws A and B are preferably made of a rectangular wooden block having their opposite sides covered or protected by metal strips 1. These jaws are pivotally connected together at one longitudinal edge thereof by means of suitable hinges 2, which Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 29, 1913.

atented Jan. 20, 1914.

Serial No. 792.249.

will hereinafter be more specifically described and the opposite longitudinal edges thereof are provided with eyelets 3 to which the chains 4: are connected. The extremities of the chains 4 are connected to a single chain 5 as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing which in turn is connected to a windlass or other suitable means for exerting a pull upon the clamp in stretching the fence, as is common with wire fence stretchers of this character.

As the hinged connection between the jaws of the clamp are identical in construction, I will hereinafter describe only one of these connections, but it is of course un derstood that the same description may be applied to both hinged connections or as many connections as are used to complete the device. The said hinged connection comprises an eyelet 6 and a hook 7 which may readily engage the eyelet when connecting the jaws together. Each eyelet and hook of the hinged connection are provided with a U-shaped plate which are counter-sunk within the faces of the jaws A and B, as more clearly shown :in Fig. 3 of the drawin Each of these U-shaped plates comprise an inner portion 8 and an outer portion 9 which are counter-sunk within the opposite faces of the jaws and connected at one end by the portions 10 which are counter-sunk within the ends of the jaws. These plates are secured to the jaws by means of bolts 11 which extend through the sections 8 and 9 of the plates and the jaws respectively and having projecting on their inner face the nuts 12. The inner plates 8 are provided with recesses 13 for receiving the corresponding nuts 12 of the opposite jaw.

Eyelets 3 are also provided with U-shaped plates counter-sunk within the faces of the jaws and each comprising sections 1 1 and 15 which are connected together at one end as at 16. The sections 14 and 15 of the eyelet plates are connected to the jaws of the clamp, the same as that of the plates of the hooks 7 and eyelets 6 forming the hinge connection.

The inner plate 14 of the eyelet plates 3 have projecting therefrom the nuts 12 which are adapted to rest within the recesses 13 when the jaws of the clamp are forced together. It will be also noted that the metal strips 1 do not only afford means for tightening the ends of the wooden jaws, but also extend over the portions 10 and 16 of the plates thereby providing additional reinforcing means.

As stated in the beginning of the specification, it is the object to form a positive gripping clamp and to produce this object I have provided wooden jaws A and B whereby when the same are forced together upon pulling upon the chain 5 the wires of the fence will bite into the wooden surface and thereby the fence will be positively held between the jaws of they clamp. In providing a rigid construction for attaching the eyelets 3, 6 and the hooks 7 to the jaws, I have found that it is necessary to provide the U-shaped plates as described and counter-sink the same within the faces of the jaws. It is obvious that when the awe of the clamp are brought together that the wire fence will not be positively gripped between the metal faces of the plates and thereby I have projected the nuts 12 upon the inner face of the plates, whereby when the jaws are brought together, the nuts will rest within the recesses 13 and thereby prevent any slipping of the fence during the stretching operation.

The specific construction of the clamp herein shown and described, constitutes the best practical embodiment of my invention and it is of course to be understood that other manner of details, as to changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing the efficiency of the same.

I claim 1. In the wire fence clamp comprising two cooperating wooden jaws, U-shaped plates counter-sunk on. the inner surface of said jaws at intervals, means for hingedly connecting said plates together, projections formed upon said plates and adapted to rest within corresponding recesses formed within the plates When the jaws have been clamped together.

2. In a device of the character described comprising two cooperating jaws, of U- shaped plates countersunk on the inner faces of said jaws, means for hingedly connecting said plates together, bolts for connecting the plates to the jaws,,nuts oars ried by the said bolts and adapted to rest within recesses formed within the opposite plates when the jaws have been brought together, and means for clamping the jaws together whereby the wire fence will be positively clamped therebetween for the purpose specified.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name to this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY H. J ETER.

lVitnesses:

EUGENE PERKINS, F. M. MILES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

